Leap Card rip-off?

ION08

Hi Guys,

Hopefully somebody can help clarify this situation for my mother who has just bought a Leap Card.

The old "Travel 90" Dublin Bus card , which is now redundant because of the Leap Card, used to allow for 10 journeys with unlimited bus transfer within 90 minutes for the price of €27.50

My mam takes 2 buses to get to town (within 90 mins) which worked out as €2.75 per Journey.

Travel 90 cards are no more, so now with this stupid Leap Card the same journey costs €2.50(first bus) + €2.50 (second bus) - €1.00 (90 minute discount) = €4.00!!!!

So the exact same 10 journeys which used to cost on Travel 90 cost €27.50, now end up costing €40! :mad:

Please tell me I'm missing something here because this seems like an absolute rip-off compared to the Travel 90 which is now redundant because of this stupid Leap Card!

Thanks

LXFlyer

Unfortunately this is one of the down sides of the fare changes that have been introduced.

There are some fares that have gone down (outer suburban and 8-13 stages), but others go up.

There has to be a mix to keep farebox revenue more or less constant.

In the example you quoted, your mother's fare will now be €2.60 + €2.60 less €1.00 discount = €4.20.

Do you mean that she was doing a return journey using the card? That's probably not something that was originally envisaged to be honest.

However, Travel 90 tickets are still available from Dublin Bus, costing €29.50 (it's not being removed until Spring 2015) so you can still purchase them and they will remain valid until the date on the card, which is usually a period of 18 months.

Andru93

ION08 wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Hopefully somebody can help clarify this situation for my mother who has just bought a Leap Card.

The old "Travel 90" Dublin Bus card , which is now redundant because of the Leap Card, used to allow for 10 journeys with unlimited bus transfer within 90 minutes for the price of €27.50

My mam takes 2 buses to get to town (within 90 mins) which worked out as €2.75 per Journey.

Travel 90 cards are no more, so now with this stupid Leap Card the same journey costs €2.50(first bus) + €2.50 (second bus) - €1.00 (90 minute discount) = €4.00!!!!

So the exact same 10 journeys which used to cost on Travel 90 cost €27.50, now end up costing €40! :mad:

Please tell me I'm missing something here because this seems like an absolute rip-off compared to the Travel 90 which is now redundant because of this stupid Leap Card!

Thanks

How often does she use the bus, as If she uses it every weekday the weekly fare cap of €27.50 will apply!

ION08

Andru93 wrote: »

How often does she use the bus, as If she uses it every weekday the weekly fare cap of €27.50 will apply!

She uses it irregularly and that was the beauty of it.

She could get two buses into town and it would deduct 1 journey. (i.e €2.75)

But now that same journey deducts €4.00 worth of credit from her leap card!

Victor

Could we enquire roughly what journeys are made and how often?

wahesh32

Does she take 2 buses back home on the same day? A 30 day rambler is roughly 4.92 a day, and if she took 4 buses in a day, that would make each journey 2.46.

LXFlyer

ION08 wrote: »

She uses it irregularly and that was the beauty of it.

She could get two buses into town and it would deduct 1 journey. (i.e €2.75)

But now that same journey deducts €4.00 worth of credit from her leap card!

Can you clarify - is your mother taking two buses into town and two buses back, or a bus into town and a bus back?


If she's doing the latter she must be very quick!

ION08

lxflyer wrote: »

Can you clarify - is your mother taking two buses into town and two buses back, or a bus into town and a bus back?


If she's doing the latter she must be very quick!

2 buses into town and two buses back.

Hence, each journey which consists of 2 buses costs 2.75 on Travel 90 but 4.00 on Leap!!

devnull

The Total cost will be €6.90, not €8.00 since leap is capped at €6.90 per day.

LXFlyer

ION08 wrote: »

2 buses into town and two buses back.

Hence, each journey which consists of 2 buses costs 2.75 on Travel 90 but 4.00 on Leap!!

Do you mind me asking what those trips are?


I'm struggling to figure out what trip to town would require two buses costing €2.60 for each element?

ION08

devnull wrote: »

The Total cost will be €6.90, not €8.00 since leap is capped at €6.90 per day.

I never said it would be €8.00

Anyway, with travel 90 the cost would have been €5.50!

ION08

lxflyer wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what those trips are?


I'm struggling to figure out what trip to town would require two buses costing €2.60 for each element?

Guys can we stop fixating on buses and times.

The point is, a jouney which previously cost 2.75 now costs her 4.00

LXFlyer

If you can outline what trip your mother is making, then I can advise what is the cheapest option available.

Stheno

ION08 wrote: »

Guys can we stop fixating on buses and times.

The point is, a jouney which previously cost 2.75 now costs her 4.00

Would it not be 3.45 when the daily cap hits in for the four journeys? And as has been said the travel 90 is available till Feb

tradhead

I've seen something advertised on the side of some buses- can't remember the name of it- but basically if you get two buses within 90 minutes, you save €1 off the second bus.

I've noticed it a few times in the last week or so where my second bus cost €.95 instead of €1.95.

ION08

lxflyer wrote: »

If you can outline what trip your mother is making, then I can advise what is the cheapest option available.

Ok here is the scenario:

Wants to get from Dublin 15 to Portmarnock.

Usually my Dad would drive her but if he is busy, my mam would rely on Dublin Bus.

She used to Carry a "Travel 90" ticket in her purse for this reason.

She hops on a bus in D15 into City Centre (1 journey deducted), once in the City Centre she jumps on the second bus which takes her into Portmarnock (0 journeys deducted if within 90 mins)

Therefore, the 1 journey cost her €2.75 seeing as the card costs €27.50 and offers 10 journeys!!

My Dad would collect here from Portmarnock later that day.

Rinse and Repeat over an irregular period.

Point is, that same €2.75 journey to Portmarnock now costs her €4.00 using the Leap Card!

Am I missing something or is the Leap Card just a crap!?

ION08

tradhead wrote: »

I've seen something advertised on the side of some buses- can't remember the name of it- but basically if you get two buses within 90 minutes, you save €1 off the second bus.

I've noticed it a few times in the last week or so where my second bus cost €.95 instead of €1.95.

Yes, whereas with Travel 90 the second bus was FREE not €1.00 off :rolleyes:

LXFlyer

OK thanks for explaining that.

There are alternative options:

1) LEAP Epurse:

In that case, yes using the LEAP epurse will cost €4.20 (€2.60 + €2.60 - €1.00) per trip.

But, if she did that in both directions, the epurse would cap at €6.90 for the day.

2) 5 Day Rambler Ticket
This costs €29.50 and works out at €5.90 per day - which would be cheaper if she were making a return journey by bus

3) 30 Day Rambler Ticket
This costs €147.50 and works out at €4.92 per day - which would be cheaper again if she were making a return journey by bus

The Travel 90 ticket is still available though for €29.50 until next Spring. I'd advise to stock up on a few if she is going to continue doing that trip only once a day and is getting a lift home, as they are valid for 18 months.

For that precise example, of making a two journey trip only in direction, then unfortunately yes, the cost is increasing, once the Travel 90 tickets are withdrawn. But that I would think is a bit of an exception to the rule. LEAP is making most trips cheaper, but the NTA seem to prefer travel rebates rather than unlimited travel for 90 minutes.

ION08

lxflyer wrote: »

The Travel 90 ticket is still available though for €29.50 until next Spring. I'd advise to stock up on a few if she is going to continue doing that trip only once a day and is getting a lift home, as they are valid for 18 months.

For that precise example, of making a two journey trip only in direction, then unfortunately yes, the cost increasing, once the Travel 90 tickets are withdrawn. But that I would think is a bit of an exception to the rule. LEAP is making most trips cheaper, but the NTA seem to prefer travel rebates rather than unlimited travel for 90 minutes.

OK Thanks Lxflyer.

I guess this is the only option for the moment. Stock up on Travel 90's and once they are withdrawn , take it on the chin.

dodzy

ION08 wrote: »

Ok here is the scenario:

Wants to get from Dublin 15 to Portmarnock.

Usually my Dad would drive her but if he is busy, my mam would rely on Dublin Bus.

She used to Carry a "Travel 90" ticket in her purse for this reason.

She hops on a bus in D15 into City Centre (1 journey deducted), once in the City Centre she jumps on the second bus which takes her into Portmarnock (0 journeys deducted if within 90 mins)

Therefore, the 1 journey cost her €2.75 seeing as the card costs €27.50 and offers 10 journeys!!

My Dad would collect here from Portmarnock later that day.

Rinse and Repeat over an irregular period.

Point is, that same €2.75 journey to Portmarnock now costs her €4.00 using the Leap Card!

Am I missing something or is the Leap Card just a crap!?

4€ for approx 15 miles ? Seems like pretty decent value to me.

coylemj

ION08 wrote: »

I guess this is the only option for the moment. Stock up on Travel 90's and once they are withdrawn , take it on the chin.

The new T90 price since Dec 1st is €29.50 but they're still being quoted at €27.50 on Ticketmaster (go there via link below) so get in quick!

http://www.dublinbus.ie/en/Fares--Tickets/Tickets/2-Journey-Daily-Weekly/

They will expire in Dec 2015 so remember that when bulk buying.

ION08

dodzy wrote: »

4€ for approx 15 miles ? Seems like pretty decent value to me.

Not the point but thanks for your opinion

coylemj

lxflyer wrote: »

The Travel 90 ticket is still available though for €29.50 until next Spring. I'd advise to stock up on a few if she is going to continue doing that trip only once a day and is getting a lift home, as they are valid for 18 months.

I bought a few T90 tickets in November when I saw that the T90 was being withdrawn and they expire in Dec 2015.

I think I asked here previously if the expiration date applies to the first or last validation and was told that it applies to the last validation i.e. the journeys must all be used by the expiration date.

LXFlyer

coylemj wrote: »

I bought a few T90 tickets in November when I saw that the T90 was being withdrawn and they expire in Dec 2015.

I think I asked here previously if the expiration date applies to the first or last validation and was told that it applies to the last validation i.e. the journeys must all be used by the expiration date.

Yes they can only be used up to the date stamped on the card.

Validity was typically 18 months, but that varies with time.

pm750

Rip off isn't the word.it is a joke

Hilly Bill

ION08 wrote: »

Ok here is the scenario:

Wants to get from Dublin 15 to Portmarnock.

Usually my Dad would drive her but if he is busy, my mam would rely on Dublin Bus.

She used to Carry a "Travel 90" ticket in her purse for this reason.

She hops on a bus in D15 into City Centre (1 journey deducted), once in the City Centre she jumps on the second bus which takes her into Portmarnock (0 journeys deducted if within 90 mins)

Therefore, the 1 journey cost her €2.75 seeing as the card costs €27.50 and offers 10 journeys!!

My Dad would collect here from Portmarnock later that day.

Rinse and Repeat over an irregular period.

Point is, that same €2.75 journey to Portmarnock now costs her €4.00 using the Leap Card!

Am I missing something or is the Leap Card just a crap!?

So you get from D15 to Portmarnock for €4? breaks down to €2 per bus then? From D15 to Portmarnock by train would cost €2:87 with a leap card.

Victor

Realistically, I think you are taking an extreme example and denouncing the entire system because of it.

http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_info/fare_calc_2015.php?station_from=CLSLA&station_to=PMNCK&stage1=Submit+Query

Train Clonsilla-Portmarnock is €3.49 if it suits. Might take half the time also.

ION08

Victor wrote: »

Realistically, I think you are taking an extreme example and denouncing the entire system because of it.

http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_info/fare_calc_2015.php?station_from=CLSLA&station_to=PMNCK&stage1=Submit+Query

Train Clonsilla-Portmarnock is €3.49 if it suits. Might take half the time also.

I appreciate that but I am dencouncing the entire system because that is the only scenario which is applicable to my requirement. (well my mothers)

And because of this, she has to pay 4.00 for the same journey that previously cost her 2.75

Multiplied by 10 the difference is €12.50, multiplies by say 8 cards a year it would work out at €100.

LXFlyer

ION08 wrote: »

I appreciate that but I am dencouncing the entire system because that is the only scenario which is applicable to my requirement. (well my mothers)

And because of this, she has to pay 4.00 for the same journey that previously cost her 2.75

Multiplied by 10 the difference is €12.50, multiplies by say 8 cards a year it would work out at €100.

The fares went up so it is €4.20 not €4 as I've posted in every post above.


Unfortunately you're never going to suit everyone, and realistically an awful lot of people have benefitted by the reduction in the 8/13 stages fare and the outer suburban fare abolition. To pay for this, some people are going to have to pay more.


Your mother was availing of a promotional item frankly, and it's now been withdrawn.


Another option might be 17a to the terminus and then 32 from the Howth Road.


That would cost €2.60 + €2.05 - €1.00 = €3.65

s8080

ION08 wrote: »

Guys can we stop fixating on buses and times.

The point is, a jouney which previously cost 2.75 now costs her 4.00

the NTA are here to look out for the best interests of the public!

Spanish Eyes

Speaking of the Travel 90s... are they tickets or can they be loaded onto LEAP?

Until they are withdrawn of course!